Complaint Review: WOOD WORKS BUILDERS - RICHARD D. RALSTON

Woodwork Builders /Richard D. Ralston requested a $41,000.00 deposit as payment for windows on my add a level project on Oct 25, 2005. I have not seen or heard from him since. I sunsequently learned the permit was never even filed in my township. To make matters worse, his partner came to see us (I chose not to have the name disclosed @ this time) in mid January and informed my husband & I of his intended fraud of not carrying out the contract of the add a level. His partner also had their own construction company and by that time had befriended us.

We chose to sign a new contract with this partner with the $41,000.00 original deposit as a credit rather than go through the hassle of chasing Mr. Ralston. We were asked to leave a $20,000.00 deposit with the partner which now in retrospect was not a prudent thing to do. That new contract was signed on Jan 25,2006 and as of today 6/25/06, no papers for the permit has been filed in our township. Between Jan to present, we have remained friends and even had barbeques , outings between our families. When we pressed the partner for a start date, etc, the reply was ... in a few weeks, etc or that they were doing other jobs to pay back the deposits that Mr. Ralston had kept. I personally feel betrayed as I considered this person a good friend and confidante and I'm usually a good judge of character. I just want to warn others out there not to get mix business and pleasure and I hope someone out there can represent us or give us advice on options in possibly getting some if not all our deposit money back from both parties. Thank you.

Disillusioned in NJ

Siobhan
brook, New Jersey
U.S.A.